Information repeater system

Abstract

To provide an information repeater system capable of selecting a desired broadcasting program with a simple construction, in the information repeater system for receiving a broadcasting wave formed by multiplexing plural broadcastings and distributing it to the corresponding channel of a specified broadcasting system. Data streams D 25 A, D 25 B, . . . D 25 N relayed by specified transponders are extracted from the broadcasting wave S 1 . Arbitrary packets D 32 A, D 32 B, . . . D 32 N are specified and extracted from the above data streams. Thus extracted packets are transmitted to the specified channel of the specified broadcasting system. Thereby, the desired channel can be transmitted to the desired channel of the specified broadcasting system from among the plural broadcastings multiplexed in the broadcasting wave.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An information repeater system for receiving N (N is an integer greater than 1) broadcast waves transmitted from plural transponders each broadcast wave being formed of multiplexed broadcast channels with each channel comprising transport stream packets; said system comprising: 
       receiving means for receiving said N broadcast waves and for extracting said broadcast channels therefrom;  
       packet extracting means for extracting selected packets from the transport stream packets in each channel;  
       remultiplexing means for remultiplexing combinations of said extracted packets from different transponders to form M remultiplexed channels of transport stream packets, where M is an integer greater than 1; and  
       transmission means for transmitting respective ones of said M remultiplexed channels to predetermined ones of M output channels.  
     
     
       2. The information repeater system according to  claim 1 , wherein said N broadcast waves are received from N broadcast wave transponders, respectively. 
     
     
       3. The information repeater system according to  claim 1 , wherein said receiving means comprises a plurality of receivers for receiving and extracting respective channels from N different broadcast waves; and said packet extracting means comprises a plurality of packet extractors for extracting a specified packet in each channel extracted by each of said receivers. 
     
     
       4. The information repeater system according to  claim 1 , wherein M packet extractors are provided for each of said receivers. 
     
     
       5. The information repeater system according to  claim 1 , further including: 
       input means for receiving a data stream from an independent broadcasting source; and output selecting means for outputting either said broadcast channels received from a respective transponder or said data stream received from the independent broadcasting source.  
     
     
       6. The information repeater system according to  claim 5 , further including encoding means for encoding the data stream received from the independent broadcasting source and supplying the encoded data stream to said output selecting means. 
     
     
       7. The information repeater system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said M output channels in supplied to a cable broadcasting system. 
     
     
       8. The information repeater system according to  claim 3 , wherein said plural packet extractors correspond to those respective signals that are transmitted to a respective output channel. 
     
     
       9. The information repeater system according to  claim 1 , wherein a broadcast wave includes system information to identify a desired program channel and to identify a packet corresponding to said desired program channel; and wherein said packet extracting means includes storing means for storing said system information, and for extracting said selected packets based on said stored system information. 
     
     
       10. The information repeater system according to  claim 9 , wherein said packet extracting means includes update detection means for detecting whether said system information has been updated and for rewriting the system information stored in said storing means with updated system information. 
     
     
       11. The information repeater system according to  claim 1 , wherein a broadcast wave includes clock reference information; and said packet extracting means comprises extracting means for extracting said clock reference information, buffer means for storing said extracted packet and having a storing state, correcting means for correcting said extracted clock reference information based on the storing state of said buffer means, and adding means for adding said corrected clock reference information to a selected packet outputted from said buffer means. 
     
     
       12. A method for relaying information from N received broadcast waves, where N is an integer greater than 1, and the N broadcast waves are transmitted from plural transponders, with each broadcast wave being formed of multiplexed broadcast channels, with each channel comprising transport stream packets, said method comprising the steps of: 
       receiving said N broadcast waves and extracting said broadcast channels therefrom;  
       extracting selected packets from the transport stream packets in each channel;  
       remultiplexing combinations of said extracted packets from different transponders to form M remultiplexed channels of transport stream packets, where M is an integer greater than 1; and  
       transmitting respective ones of said M remultiplexed channels to predetermined ones of M output channels.  
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 12 , wherein said N broadcast waves are received from N broadcast wave transponders, respectively. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 12 , wherein respective channels are extracted from N different broadcast waves; and a specified packet in each channel is extracted. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 12 , further-including the steps of receiving a data stream from an independent broadcasting source; and outputting either said broadcast channels received from a respective transponder or the data stream received from the independent broadcasting source. 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the data stream received from the independent broadcasting source is encoded. 
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 12 , wherein a broadcast wave includes system information to identify a desired program channel and to identify a packet corresponding to said desired program channel; and wherein said system information is stored, and the extraction of said selected packets is based on said stored system information. 
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 17 , further including the steps of; detecting whether said system information has been updated; and rewriting the stored system information with updated system information. 
     
     
       19. The method for relaying information according to  claim 12 , wherein a broadcast wave includes clock reference information; and said selected packets are extracted by extracting said clock reference information, storing said extracted packets in a buffer, correcting said extracted clock reference information based on the state of the buffer, and adding said corrected clock reference information to a selected packet outputted from said buffer.